Untitled Vignette
by jacob
Summary: When Mirai Goku died how did everyone react? This first takes you into the rage within Vegeta's heart and then into Gohan's losing of all that he holds dear as the Androids destroy his world, and finally it shows the breaking of Trunks' mind...
1. Sorrow

jacob's author note- Hmm… Well this is sappy… I was trying to find something to submit to Ash the Wanderer's contest, and I wan

jacob's author note- Hmm… Well this is sappy… I was trying to find something to submit to Ash the Wanderer's contest, and I wanted something that was short and easy to write. Well here you go, the only sap you'll ever get from me!

Disclaimer- DBZ belongs to the illustrious Toriyama, *mayhisnamebeworhsippedforever* say that 10 times fast…

Untitled Vignette 

_Damn you Kakarot._ Vegeta slowly unclenched and clenched his fists. His eyes burned with a fierce inner rage, his ebony hair unmoved by the breeze. Bulma clung to him, her fingers digging into his workout suit. He looked down at her, almost carelessly. She was well into her pregnancy.

_Damn you_. Life was so strange. For years he had lived alone, his heart had been cold and he had known no friends. He remembered the cold hatred of all the soldiers in Frieza's army. He remembered killing so many, and for such a petty cause. He looked at the tossing and turning body of the man that had single handedly changed him. Bulma gave another sob, and then suddenly let go. 

_Damn._ She wandered over to Chichi who was patting Goku's head with a wet sponge. Bulma knelt down by her and gave her a hug. Chichi kept patting. Vegeta heard the continuous wet sound. Endlessly, patting, tapping…

_Kakarot, why?_ Vegeta shook his head and sat down. In the corner the brat sat with the cue ball. The boy was crying. _Weakling._ And then Vegeta remembered, the death of his father, his people, and the hurt. But emotion was weakness, strength was all.

"I was supposed to defeat him." Vegeta murmured, finally voicing his thoughts aloud. Nobody heard him, except for Piccolo. The Namek shifted slightly, his cape draped down his back like a frozen waterfall. Vegeta stared at the floor, as if he could bore a hole in it with his thoughts.

"It's late, we should have someone keep watch." Bulma said. The broken silence hung there, the words echoed emptily throughout the room. More a minute no one moved, they only listened to he ragged breath of their fallen comrade. The Ox King moved first, he picked up his daughter to carry her upstairs. Chichi didn't resist, all the fight was drained from her.

"I will take watch." Vegeta said. He didn't know why he said it. Did he really owe this third class warrior who had surpassed him anything? He sensed the surprise rippling around the room, and the faint outrage that followed.

"Why should you have watch, you've wanted to kill him for all this time, by rights we should make sure you're nowhere near him in this moment of weakness," Krillin spoke sharply. His anger made him braver than ever before. Vegeta looked around, unsure how to handle this or why he was doing it.

"Krillin, let him." Gohan whispered quietly. The boy got up and went over to Vegeta, his eyes still brimming with tears. The two looked at each other, the confused warrior who didn't know his own heart, and the young boy who's power could someday surpass them all. 

_What the hell am I doing? _Vegeta sighed; he didn't remember how he had gotten here. First the boy stood up for him, and then the Namek did too. Are they all so stupid and compassionate? Vegeta growled suddenly, it was a low noise, akin to purr but with blood on its edges. Goku stirred beneath the blankets, moaning in his nightmares.

_Why now, Kakarot?_ Vegeta finally stood up, the sudden movement disrupting the suffocating peacefulness of the room. He wandered outside to the beach. They had all agreed to take Goku to Kamesennin's house that the ocean might be better for him, and everyone could gather easily.

_Damn it, damn **you**__! _Vegeta began to practice. His ki was suppressed as he flung punches in the air. He back hand-springed around the small island. He continued, making his muscles tense and untense rapidly. The cool night breeze kept him from breaking into a giant sweat, but he soon felt a trickle coming from underneath his hair. He stopped, and his fine hearing picked up the sound of a panicked struggle.

_Damn you Kakarot_. Vegeta was inside in a flash. Goku was thrashing around wildly, his arms flailed with incredible strength, but his breath was halting and ragged. Vegeta, without knowing quite what he was doing straddled him. He took both hands and pushed them against the bigger mans chest.

_Come **on**__ Kakarot! _He pushed his ki through his hands, a steady stream into Kakarot's. HE felt how low his fellow Saya-jin's strength had gone, and he dove deeper.

_Ve-Vegeta? Wh-Why?___

_Why what?_ Vegeta snarled back mentally, astonished they hadn't thought to interact with Kakarot like this. But then again, it was dangerous; this close contact was draining his ki quickly…

_Why are you so, angry?_

_I was supposed to kill you! I was the one who was supposed to have glory! IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ME NOT YOU! Damn you Kakarot, why can't I hate you!_ Vegeta cried, his mind voice wrought with suppressed pain, the things that had been kept under his skin and never let lose, for years on end… Pain was the one constant.

_Vegeta, be strong. Tell Chichi, and Gohan, and the others, I love them all. Protect my family Vegeta, protect this world. When you are protecting what you care for, the power will come…_ Goku's mind voice was weak now, full of sorrow for what was being cut short. It trembled. Vegeta was starting to gray out now, consciousness was hard, and it was only **his** will that was keeping Kakarot alive now.

_Why Kakarot, why won't you live, you can' t die, I- I have to defeat you._ Even to Vegeta it sounded weak, the pitiful denial of what had happened to him, a pitiful attempt to cling to the past like a spoilt child.

_Train Gohan Vegeta, he will give you the challenge you seek, be gentle. Lemme' go Vegeta, I'm tired._ Vegeta couldn't keep this up much longer; his own ki was dangerously low. But he had to tell Kakarot; somehow, he **knew** that Kakarot would understand. But he couldn't.

_Damn you, then die coward._ Things never came out, as he wanted, life wasn't in his favor it never had been. Suddenly he felt memory pouring into him, the fear and respect Goku had felt for him that first time, the first fight…

_Bye Vegeta._

_Kaka- GOKU!_

_See, not so hard-_ It ended, so quickly… Vegeta looked at his hands, felt his memory, now with something that wasn't his. Damn that man, giving to the last. So unlike a Sayaijn, a disgrace to the race, but that disgrace, had succeeded where so many other failed… But in the end he too had failed, unable to ask Kakarot for what he sought, the burden within him.

Vegeta cupped his hands, and watched the dead body. His vigil lasted 'till morning; he didn't move in all that time, his iron will keeping him upright.

"Vegeta, is my dad?" Gohan came first, the forgiving child, with only a half spoken question. Vegeta turned his face towards the boy. Gohan saw his answer there.

"I guess you're happy, you finally defeated him." There was no malice in that statement, only truth. Only truth…

"Yeah" Vegeta would have said more, but he couldn't bring himself to it. Something was lacking. Suddenly he was being hugged. Gohan clung to him, and he was unsure what to do. He remembered, that awe, respect and camaraderie Kakarot felt, that first battle.

"He, cared for you, 'till the last." Vegeta spoke, the word love not coming to his lips. His gruff voice was covered in sleepiness. He looked down and awkwardly patted the boy's head. He felt tears running down his outfit.

"Damn it boy, did I say you could cry on me?" Vegeta whispered, his anger gone, just going on reflex now. But Gohan understood him now, just as his father had.

_Goodbye Kakarot, you better be training, I'll be coming for you, someday._


	2. Reflections

Dislcaimer- DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama *mayhebepraisedforever* and I don't own it

Disclaimer- DBZ belongs to Akira Toriyama *mayhebepraisedforever* and I don't own it.

A/N- Well since Untitled Vignette garnered so many reviews (at least for me it was a lot) this is a follow up. Thanks to everyone that told I should continue this. But this deals with Gohan's thoughts of not only his father but Vegeta as well. The god's brother reference comes from the series The Reality Dysfunction by Peter F. Hamilton. With guest stars Piccolo and Chichi and the Briefs family. This is supposed to end really sad like, heh heh heh…

**REFLECTIONS**

_Is this really real?_ Gohan always questioned, he questioned why things happened, it was part of his scholastic nature. And now he questioned reality. His father was dead, but Goku never died. If he did it was only temporary. But now it was forever, it was **real.** And it hurt. It hurt the most when he forgot, and had fun. It was cut short by the image of his father's dead body. 

_Why are you gone, how did I fail?_ Gohan was a perfectionist, the reason he was so hard on himself. It came from his mother he thought. But now it hurt, it cut deeply as his failures mounted and mounted. His mother had moved on, she mourned deeply, but she had kept going, she lived in his father's memory.

_But she never failed you._ To Gohan, there was evil and good, and then there was him. His mother was good, his friends were good, hell even Vegeta was good. But he wasn't he existed between the two, he fought himself for control. His human side gave him fear that made him fail, and his Sayaijn side gave him unfathomable rage and bestiality.

_My own personal serpent beast._ He remembered meeting that strange man, discovering the cult of God's Brother, it had freaked him out, getting lost in the city was never a good idea even if you could level it with a gesture. They were wrong worshipping the ideal of Satan, but they were right, everyone had a serpent beast. Gohan was faced with two choices, control the serpent beast and fail for forever, or release it and become something terrible and fail all the same.

The cold was still there, he could feel it growing.

_I always fail, life isn't something I deserve. _Sometimes he just got depressed, he was on the verge of puberty and his hormones were acting up, but on top of that he had blood on his hands. And his father was dead damn him. 

_My head hurts…_ He clenched his head between his hands.So many words, thoughts and feelings were weighing in on him. He felt something inside that was so hollow, his heart beat in an empty chest, and his mouth was dry. His hands shook, the shaking was so hard, he was so very **weak**. He could feel the beast inside him clamoring for release.He didn't know what he might have done next but suddenly Vegeta was there. He stared, captivated by the Sayaijn's eyes. 

All was brought short by Vegeta's eyes.

They were so like his fathers right then. The stance was cold and arrogant, but his eyes had actual compassion, but it was compassion that he didn't deserve. There was no pity, Vegeta didn't wish to hurt him, but there was something worse there. Understanding.

_You feel this too, you know this emptiness. Share with me, let me in, and let me be **real**__. _

_Damn you Kakarot_. He'd said it so many times, so very many times. Each time it got harder. The pain had receded, he was numb now. He'd always been numb. But looking at Gohan, there was such innocence there. The boy had killed, but not in the way Vegeta had. Vegeta looked at him in wonder, there was true innocence in those eyes. Vegeta reached out and touched the boy's hair. Gohan's eyes looked vacant. 

_He's not here Gohan, get over it. No one ever comes back for you. When they're gone it's for good. Never hope and it never hurts, and that's all you have._ Vegeta blinked, something about the boy wasn't right. Then Gohan just collapsed limply. Vegeta caught him swiftly. He felt so odd, holding the boy, feeling his rising chest, the rhythmic beat of the heart. He felt so protective, something fierce and burning.

_Damn you Kakarot._ There, it hurt now, cursing the only one to understand him. He wondered why. He never opened up to Kakarot, but somehow the bastard understood him, knew what he was, and didn't mention it. His thoughts suddenly turned to Bulma. He could smell her scent on his clothes, and could smell something strange on the boy. He inhaled deeply, then he pinpointed it, he smelled death on the boy.__

_ _

_FATHER! _Imploring, Gohan had failed again. He had killed Piccolo through his failure; he had abandoned his friends so many times and each time the failure… He felt the will to live drifting from him, oozing out of his pores; the vile reality was going away.

_I won't fail again, I won't fail anyone again._

"Gohan!" Piccolo shouted. His eyes snapped open and his ki flared around him. He felt the boy's ki slipping away, that death was approaching his pupil. His son. Gohan was his son, he was his friend, and he was his anchor. The boy was everything to the Namek that valued nothing but power.

_Don't you **dare**__ die on me boy_. He flew faster than he ever had before, he would save him or die trying.

"Oh Goku." Chichi cried. It was everything now, sobbing was her life, she couldn't go on. There was actually dust on the table. The house was immaculate, but for Chichi it was horrendously dirty. She cradled her head in her hands. Then she stopped. Something wasn't right. Chichi had once been a warrior, and as with the power that all mothers had and that ki sense, she felt something **wrong.**

_Gohan? I have lost Goku but **never**__ will I lose my baby boy._ A mother scared for her child is the most dangerous opponent in any species. Chichi rose quickly and ran outside, following some instinct buried deep within her gut, she would find her child.

"I failed." Gohan murmured softly, his face creased with pain making him far older than his years. Vegeta suddenly growled, he had lost patience for this!

"Listen to me boy," He now held Gohan by his shoulders and shook him, "Your father is dead, that is that. Kakarot is dead damn it and there is nothing we can-" He stopped, had he just said what he thought he said. Life suddenly returned to Gohan's eyes, awareness. He smiled crookedly, his face covered in tear streaks.

"Thank you Vegeta." Vegeta held still unsure what to do. He felt Piccolo approaching, the Namek's very ki felt urgent and concerned. He looked at the boy who was approaching manhood, who represented the new future Vegeta had, with his beautiful earth woman. And his son…_He might be half human but he will be warrior bar none. _

_ _

_Gohan, my son._ Piccolo couldn't remember when he started thinking of Gohan as his son, as his child. He didn't hate Kakarot or Chichi, but he felt they could have done better for their precious boy. Gohan floated into his arms. With a glare at Vegeta that dared him to comment Piccolo returned the hug. To his surprise he saw the faintest glimpse of dampness in the Sayaijn's eyes. The two looked at each other, and understood in a way no one else would be able to.

"Piccolo, it hurts so much." Piccolo sighed; he didn't know quite what he was supposed to do, at least not with Vegeta standing there.

"When you're done being mushy and feminine I'll be over there." Piccolo stiffened, not the words but at the implied insult. Gohan turned a teary face to Vegeta.

"Thank you Vegeta, father was right about you." Vegeta looked taken back, and the fled into the forest before he did something, unseemly. 

_Why him, why not me?_ He'd never had anyone to hang onto, his father had been brutal with him, making it easier for Vegeta to tolerate his life with Frieza, but Vegeta was still bitter. It smoldered and festered like a wound gone bad, Kakarot had been the only one who understood… Except for that woman, but all she wanted to do was _talk and talk._ She couldn't fight it out of him, and that was only way her could release it. Kakarot had understood that…

_ _

_Goku, help me!_ Chichi ran, but she wasn't quite sure where to go now, the burst of adrenaline that had fueled her was gone now, she was alone with the trees and her sorrow, and her fear for her child. _I always knew this would happen, I would drive Gohan away, if only I'd held on tighter._ Chichi knew that Gohan would want to fight like his father, she was so scared of losing him and Goku she held on as tight as she could, not thinking that maybe that drove them off.

_GOKU._ She stopped and began to cry. Suddenly a feather light touch brushed her cheek. Her breathing slowed as a strange peace filled her, she felt illuminated by ki. Then something soft and strange brushed her chest. She opened her eyes, not remembering them being closed. The flying nimbus hovered in front of her, and she remembered that first ride.

"Oh Goku, honey, be careful." And she stepped on. "Take me to my baby, find Gohan." And it flew.

"Hey guys, here we are, I finally found it!" Bulma shouted. Chichi who was washing from the gigantic dinner they had just eaten smiled softly. Gohan who was doing homework smiled but his eyes began to fill a little. Vegeta heard her over the intercom in the gravity chamber and sighed. She'd come get him if he didn't vamoose.

Bulma waddled into the room; in the final stage of her pregnancy she was ungainly, at best. She held in her hands a scrapbook, one that showed some wear and tear. Gohan bounced onto a couch while Chichi sat demurely in an armchair. Bulma eased herself down onto the couch while Vegeta stood behind her. She eased it open and smiled sadly down at the pictures. And then she took them step-by-step through the adventures of the original dragon ball hunt.

As she neared a close Bulma felt an odd sensation in her abdomen. Suddenly her loose dress felt very wet…

"AHH AHH CHICHI I JUST BROKE MY WATER. VEGETA!" Bulma was almost hysterical. Chichi got and held Bulma's hand. Vegeta looked panicked, as with most men he was paralyzed at the thought that his son was on **his** way into the world. Chichi kept her head though, she knew what to do. After a minute Bulma's parents were up and they were getting Bulma into a car and had called the hospital.

They were there within minutes. Vegeta having regained his senses grew quickly impatient with traffic and carried the car to the hospital. Dr. Briefs held his head; _the reporters are going to have a field day…_

They hurried through the hospital and Bulma was placed in a room, her contractions beginning. Pain was shooting through her body, intense waves followed by her muscles tensing and un-tensing[[i]][1]. A few hours later, Trunks Vegeta Briefs was born. Bulma held him softly, her eyes moist both with happiness and pain. Chichi cooed while Gohan stared in amazement. Dr. Briefs smiled smugly while Mrs. Briefs cooed in tandem with Chichi. Vegeta held back unsure how to approach. Finally Bulma offered his son to him. Vegeta hung for a moment, torn, until Chichi suddenly pressed him into Vegeta's arms. Vegeta held him uncomfortably, he wasn't quite sure how although it- **he-** weighed next to nothing for him.

In that room, something happened, the weight was lifted from their hearts, Goku might be gone, but new life was there for them. For one, acceptance, new life, and new love made something in him break, and finally Vegeta began to lose his pain. And he found the he could hope again. They all did, they all hoped for the future, secure in their belief that all would be right.

Sometimes, fate is very cruel.

Final note- Well, if you liked this let me know, I'll take angst Vignette requests from people, if anyone wants something in particular. But I leave so on the 27th so don't expect anything soon as I don't get back till the 21st of August or thereabouts. 

  


[[i]][2] For those of you with sick minds, doesn't pregnancy sound like the opposite of an orgasm? There are the physical contractions but instead of waves of pleasure there is pain so intense you can become lightheaded… Just my sick little mind at work here, no worries.

   [1]: #_edn1
   [2]: #_ednref1



	3. Dieing

Disclaimer- I don't own DBZ, but it would make a good birthday present

Disclaimer- I don't own DBZ, but it would make a good birthday present. This chapter is dedicated to my friend Garth Manheim who committed suicide this summer.

"May your days be extraordinary"- Garth Louis Manheim

It is also dedicated to LindaN, a good person, a great writer and a good friend.

A/N- This will become gloomy and bloody in the next couple chapters, people of light constitutions don't read.

DIEING 

** **

Gohan cried, heaving sobs that racked his body with pain, he gently held his mother's mutilated body. He had been out that day on errands, now she was dead, and it was his fault. Why hadn't he been there? The sobs began to rip his lungs, and he laughed bitterly, his soul was rent asunder and floating in sorrow. He trembled gently, and looked at his mother's face, the terror in her eyes and sense of pure fear from her dead features was unbearable. Gohan trembled again, but this time from hate so pure it was venomous.

The serpent beast in him clamored for release, well he'd give it release. He rose up with his mother's bloody and broken body. And he cried out before flying of to Bulma's house, ignoring the fact that his hair was now a brilliant blond. Sometimes grief and sorrow can overwhelm the senses to the point you can become oblivious to even the most awesome changes.

Vegeta's head shot up at that, the sudden burst of power. It was magnificent… And a potential challenge. Vegeta snorted, it was Gohan. _Kakarot was right, the boy does have it._ Vegeta smiled, he'd been spoiling for a good fight, and a physical one that is, Bulma and he shouted it out daily, which was almost as fun as the sex… _Damn, if she'd been a Sayaijn…_ He stopped that thought; if she'd been a Sayaijn she would probably be dead right now. Then Vegeta's mind caught up with him.

Gohan only ever transcended his current power level if he was mad enough to. That meant something drastic had happened. Vegeta reached out with his mind, casting telepathically for the boy's mental state.

**_RAGE… HATE… MUST KILL… BLOOD- ANGER!_** Vegeta was knocked flat by the thoughts in Gohan's head. They weren't even coherent, just blunt lust for blood. Then Vegeta realized something else, Gohan had gone Super Sayaijn. _Finally, but what could be so impacting to make the brat transform?_ His question was soon answered.

Piccolo felt Gohan's rage immediately. It only took a second for him to figure out that something must have happened to Chichi to elicit such a response. _Despite the fact the bitch doesn't deserve him. _Piccolo chided himself for the thought and stopped, he could think whatever the hell he wanted to. He realized he was already halfway to where he felt Gohan's ki was before he made the mental decision to see what was up.

Vegeta had seen carnage on such a large scale, inflicted it a number of times, and so Chichi's grossly distorted face and ripped body didn't make him sick. What made him sick was that the strokes were done with physician like precision, so that she was butchered quickly and effectively, while she was still alive. He traced the jagged wounds in his mind, seeing the cruel paths they wound around the inert bleeding body.

Gohan couldn't see any of this. All he could see was black. His vision had narrowed, tinged all around with black rage. He would do worse than kill whoever had done this. He would kill them, revive them, and kill them again. Over and over if necessary. Then he'd let his dad torment them in the afterlife. Suddenly, in the midst of his grief and rage, he wanted his father.

"Daddy." He choked out. Then he collapsed with his tears over his mother's bloody broken body.

"GOHAN! CHICHI! DAMN IT LET ME GO!" Goku screamed. King Yemma grunted and strained. And then Goku summoned up enough power to knock the giant lord of the Crossways off of him. If he'd been thinking clearly he would have seen that him breaking the rules of death would cause chaos and confusion on level never before seen. But all he wanted was to rescue his son…

"Goku stop." He suddenly found himself with stopped flat. He struggled against the invisible bonds that held him. They wouldn't give. The panic and urge to help made him go SSJ. But the mysterious bonds held. Goku started screaming, flecks of spittle flying from his mouth. His eyes vanished in a surge of power and became glowing white orbs, his arms and legs filled with ki, his body immersed in it. But the bonds still held.

_A pity,_ Kaioshin thought. He would've let Goku go if his conscience was his only guide, but certain rules had to be maintained. If Chichi's spirit would just hurry up and come up here they could calm him down.

Krillin was the next one to die. Along with Roshi and Oolong. Yamucha came up to the CC, his eyes dead and his gaze lifeless. He hated Vegeta, but he had no other refuge. Vegeta even managed to restrain himself when Yamucha collapsed crying into Bulma's arms. Gohan became withdrawn, his small face creased with constant pain. Only Piccolo and Vegeta remained aloof and unaffected. Vegeta had seen so much pain and suffering in his life that it no longer held any significance to him. Piccolo was just Piccolo, an unmovable force.

One day Vegeta decided he'd had enough; the atmosphere around CC was unbearable. There were reports starting to straggle in that mysterious forces were killing large numbers of people in rural areas. Soon they learned that a day prior to Chichi's death a small city had been destroyed on one of the many islands in the area. But for now Vegeta had had enough.

After flying for some time he stopped, he looked around him, the scenery seemed so familiar… Than it clicked, this was where he first fought Kakarot. A sudden surge of emotion made him week-kneed, Kakarot. Rival, ally, friend… _Damn you Kakarot._ The familiar thought came hard this time, harder than ever before. He angrily screamed himself into SSJ. His hair flared back and spiked apart. His body bugled with power, suffused with ki; this was his element, this sense of power. He was a warrior, was born as a warrior, would live and die as a warrior.

"Yes, especially the dying part."

"Vegeta just powered up, and he's fighting!" Piccolo leapt to his feet. Gohan stared blankly at Piccolo, what did it mean? Piccolo was talking and obviously upset.

"Gohan, he's probably fighting the people that killed your mother." Piccolo needed to wake the boy, tact couldn't be used now. If those people attacked Vegeta they would be confident or stupid, either way Vegeta would need help, to stop or to flee.

Gohan blinked, and then it set in. His rage boiled and then went cold. Blind all consuming hatred is an awesome force, but nothing can compare to calm rage, the ice-cold determination to kill with a calculated detachedness inherent in it. And now Gohan was consumed. He blasted off, his senses leading him straight to Vegeta. Piccolo left a second later followed by Yamucha. Bulma sighed and held Trunks to her, praying for her lover and her friends. Trunks began to cry, as if in premonition of what would happen.

"Who are you?" Vegeta growled, the black haired one had attacked first, the two were trading blows, trying to gauge each other's strength. But Vegeta could sense no ki. Not even Kakarot could lower his ki while fighting.

"Oh Vegeta, don't you mean **what** are we?" The two laughed, calm horrible laughs, the kind of laugh someone gives when they find only shallow amusement, and there was no cheer in the laugh. Vegeta had heard that sort of laugh before, from King Kold. Frieza had delighted in his sadism, but Kold was more dangerous. Torture from Kold was elegant as it was exquisite, pain without borders. It made Frieza's fear tactics seem crude and clumsy.

Vegeta growled as he struck the man. "Tell me before I blast you from the sky." With that he increased his strength a little, putting more force behind another punch sending the android cart wheeling backwards.

"Well Vegeta, I'm 18 and that is my brother 17, we're androids sent to kill Goku by Dr. Gero. But instead we killed Gero and now we get to play with earth as a giant toy!" She sighed then and placed her hands on her hips. "Maybe then I can finally get some better outfits."

"Yeah? Well maybe you'll-" Vegeta never got to finish that comment, 17 barreled up and smacked Vegeta so hard he saw stars and felt his jaw crack. _Shit!_ He screamed at himself. But then before 17 could strike again a furious Gohan hit the android.

Gohan was berserk; he wasn't even bothering to coordinate his attacks. He bit and clawed along with exuding ki from his eyes and mouth. The pure ferocity of the attack was enough to make 17 look fearful even as his body was beaten. 18 looked concerned but was then hit by a Makkankosappo and a Fist of the Wolf from Piccolo and Yamucha respectively. She growled in anger and whirled to slam Piccolo into the ground.

17 finally tired of letting Gohan rip him to pieces and smacked him hard enough to send blood flying from the boy's mouth. But Gohan didn't even feel it he was so far gone in his anger. And then Vegeta beset 17. The android started to panic, the boy was fighting with impossible strength and Vegeta was using coldly calculated blows that were becoming more and more dangerous. They overpowered him enough that he was worrying about his ability to continue. And then 18 was there. Within seconds Vegeta felt pain blossom like a cruel rose in his stomach and Gohan was knocked viciously unconscious. 

"Well that was refreshing, much more exiting than the old man or that woman." 17 murmured. 18 looked at him.

"Oh that shirt is in tatters, we should get you something else." She pursed her lips and Vegeta growled. She cast Vegeta a look, admiring his strong arms and physique in general. 17 gave him a disdainful look.

"Oh don't even think it sis-"

"Why, cuz you want to claim him for you?" Vegeta's eyebrows shot up at that. 17 growled fierily under his breath.

"Damn it sis I am not gay." 18 shrugged.

"Most guys that have fashion sense are- how should I say this in today's polite society, heterosexually challenged?" She said archly. Vegeta couldn't believe they were having this conversation. He tried to stand but only double over from the pain. Then Piccolo was holding him and Gohan as he blasted away. Yamucha flew alongside them, his short-cropped hair rustling slightly on his head. Vegeta couldn't believe how humiliating this was.

Then he felt energy, stupendous energy, and it was laced with Yamucha…

"FINAL STRIKE!" Yamucha screamed, his power bellowing forth from his body, his very being going into the blast. The ki was fantastic, gigantic globes of energy with so much power they detonated with enough force to alter the orbit of earth. Death energy on this scale was awesome. Yamucha had lived a full life, but it wasn't due to end then. But he had given himself over completely, acknowledged his faults and found himself. And sacrificed what he had found. And that gave it meaning, which in turn gave it power. And then Vegeta blacked out as the ki hit them.

"Oh Vegeta." That voice, that beautiful voice, so strong and so sad… 

:Bulma?:

"Oh Vegeta you're awake!" Piccolo looked at the woman, what was she talking about? Vegeta hadn't said anything. It had been several days since Yamucha's sacrifice. The mystery beings hadn't attacked since then, so it was obvious they were dead. They had discovered that Tien and Choutzou had been killed as well. Piccolo sighed, Gohan had taken all this the worst. His heart went out to the boy. And as for Vegeta… The injury had been much more serious than they had thought and the senzu beans hadn't ripened yet. Luckily they had a new batch right now.

"Vegeta, eat this." Bulma gently slid the bean between his lips and moved his jaw. As he swallowed reflexively he felt energy rush through his limbs. Suddenly he was sitting upright and his mouth was latched onto Bulma's. He frantically pushed his tongue into her mouth, tasting her and smelling her. Bulma submitted readily and the two began to explore the fierce passionate love.

"Riiiight, well I'll just leave you two alone then." And Piccolo left the room, the disruption unnoticed by the two who were franticly celebrating the fact they were alive and had won.

Fate is not only cruel, it's unmerciful.


	4. Breathe

Disclaimer- I don't own much anyways, so why would I own this?

A/N- Sorry this one took a while; I wanted to make it suitably depressing. Oh and people with weak constitutions turn away **here.** There are bad things described here, but it isn't the end. 

BREATHE 

Ruins, gaping yawning voids of space where cities had once been. Vegeta stood, silent, his back rigid in composure. The humans fled the force that killed them, while Vegeta trained for its destruction. Vegeta fought invisible enemies, here was Kakarot being beaten, here was Frieza being played with, here was Zarbon being tormented, here was- the list went on.

As the sweat ran down his body he remembered the anger last night, how during the fight he couldn't even **hit** her. In a pairing the stronger would never take abuse like that from the weaker. And it wasn't like they hadn't made love on the floor before… But this time she just had to fight with him, and as much as he didn't like to admit it he didn't want to force her.

Love and hate, fire and ice, he wanted her and despised her. It tore at him, this knowledge. Trunks was bigger now, he was already displaying above average strength, Bulma had wound up giving him thin rods of steel to play with. Bulma…

He fought harder, against himself, his demons, and his heart.

Piccolo floated resolutely in front of Gohan, he would guard him even if the boy was asleep. He sat in the air, his eyes closed, his senses not. He wanted to tell Gohan, tell him that he would always be there, and be the father and the friend. Gohan stirred waking, Piccolo prepared himself to tell Gohan, and if Goku and Chichi were dead then maybe he could adopt the boy? A human thing, but Gohan wanted to be human now, he didn't like his Sayai-

**_PAIN!_**

Piccolo shrieked in agony and then in astonishment. He felt Kami being ripped in two, his other half dieing in a horrible way. Piccolo began to fade. 

Gohan awoke to his last anchor being pulled out of this life. Piccolo's body was fading; there was torment there in the demon kings eyes. But there was greater pain as Gohan realized that he was finally and truly alone.

Piccolo, desperate to leave something, anything behind for Gohan, used the last remaining amount of power he could bring to bear in the world of the living. Gohan found himself suddenly dressed differently, in the same king of clothes Piccolo wore… Gohan cried and cried, the tears a never ending river of sorrow. When Bulma found him, it didn't take much to realize what had happened.

Vegeta had stopped, he was worn and bloody. That was enough for the day- voices.

"Well sis, if it isn't the Sayaijn that got away." Vegeta found himself suddenly trembling, not in fear, but in anticipation. They couldn't hide from him any longer. The thought that they had found him didn't cross his mind.

"Here Sayaijn, eat this." 17 tossed something to Vegeta, Vegeta caught it. A senzu bean?

"We just killed this fat cat guy and I recognized these beans, so eat one, I like a good fight." 17 said leeringly. 18 sighed, why play? But if that was what 17 wanted she'd let him have his fun.

Vegeta laughed, they didn't know what they were getting into, and their heads would make nice presents for Bulma who could be almost as vindictive as he could. He gladly ate the bean and prepared for the fight. Vegeta screamed and let the power fill him, the energy crackled around him as he burned into SSJ. His rage at himself, at Kakarot, at Bulma, at everyone filled him, giving him strength for the fight. He fought for Bulma as he fought because of her; he fought so he could train his child to become the strongest warrior ever, barring him of course. He fought to prove he was better than Kakarot, he fought-

Because he loved a challenge.

The first blow rang true and echoed in the ruins of the dead city. The dead lifeless once proud and mighty skyscrapers were further reduced to rubble as ki flared amongst them. Shrapnel flew every which way, the devastated grounds were ripped to pieces and the ground torn into a ravaged wasteland, this ultimate rape of the earth defiled by blood.

The second blow rang proud, the fight was well underway. Vegeta axed 17 into the ground. He laughed and blasted down, smashing the pretty android into building after building. The two were evenly matched. But Vegeta didn't know that 17 had endless energy, didn't know that 18 would soon join the fight. He found out several minutes later when 17 was still fighting strong, and the sudden pain that blossomed like a cruel rose in his side.

"Cowards, two against one." Vegeta rasped out. But he **would** take them.

"OH come on Vegeta, we always play for keeps, and what's a little cheating here or there." 17 said, and 18 was suddenly filled with the desire to break this proud man before he died.

"Ah but Vegeta, when has your pride ever gotten you anywhere except further behind Goku, when has your rank ever gotten you anything but torture from Frieza, when has your Sayaijn pride ever gotten you anything but failure." Vegeta stared at her and went cold. 18 then laughed and turned to 17.

"Let's kill him together, then we can move on to **worthier** prey, not this weak useless filth." Vegeta stared ahead blindly; his world was going dark, fading at the edges. Then 18 smiled widely, she knew one final way to break him. She turned to 17 and whispered something in his ear. His eyes widened and she smiled sweetly, with no sign on anything but sadistic glee in her eyes.

"Do it, now." She commanded. 17 frowned and then smirked. Vegeta trembled, he was cold, but more than that, he was a failure. With an almost sob he dropped out of SSJ. Vegeta had forgotten how to cry, and that is a sad thing to happen to so strong a man. But he never had a chance to learn, then and now. 

Strong cold hands grabbed his face and he was suddenly looking into the eyes of Android 18. Then he felt his clothes being burned away, and he knew what was going to happen. At that he struggled wildly, screaming, blast the robots in the face and clawing, biting, anything to get away. 

When 17 entered him he screamed in wild abandon and went SSJ. He would kill them all- but as he screamed his mouth opened 18 kissed him fiercely, and bit his tongue off. Then coolly and coldly she chopped him firmly on the back of his neck, breaking some vertebrae, but not killing him, oh no. 17 slammed into Vegeta one last time and then released him, the blood running freely from Vegeta's defiled body. The once proud and powerful Sayaijn was reduced to a gibbering fool that couldn't move anything below his neck. 18 laughed then, she could see why her brother liked this so much.

"Well 17 says you weren't that bad of a fuck, but I think that Bulma would be a much better one." She watched amusedly as Vegeta's pupils contracted and then gently floated down. When she reached the ground she almost tenderly set him on the ground. Then after laying him there and listening to his ragged breathing, she smiled. 18 casually leaned over and spit on his face, pleased that he couldn't even move his arms to wipe it off. Then, almost casually, she leaned down and kissed him. Vegeta's opened wide and he tried to fight back, at least to bite her mouth. But instead she drew back, displeased, he still could fight.

"Well, now I guess we move onto Bulma, you know I bet she'll like 17 more than she ever like you, at least **he'll** be able to protect her." Vegeta's neck twitched and a single tear ran down his face, mingling with his blood and the spit from the android.

"Oh dear Vegeta, you seem to be drooling, here I'll wipe that off for you." She took his hand and gently wiped the drool off. "I guess you're jus to helpless to take care of yourself, I'll have to sit and watch you then, make sure you are alright." So 18 sat, and was soon joined by 17, and together they watched Vegeta die. Talking about what they would do to Bulma, calling up his failures, and laughing at him. So he died, broken, bleeding, defiled, and fearing for a woman he was sure no longer loved him, or deserved him.

Sometimes, fate is more than just cruel.

A/N- I hope that didn't suck, something about seem almost, off. Oh well, now please review guys!


	5. Games

Disclaimer- I don't own DBZ

A/N- I'd like to thank everyone that's reviewed this story, it's hard to write but the reviews make it worth it. This is the final chapter of Untitled Vignette, but I'm gonna make a sequel, something suitably happy and adventurous to get off this depressing trail…

Games

Games, that's what this was to them. It made Gohan sick to the very core of his being; it was anathema to every fiber of his soul. There were no words, are no words to describe things like them. Things that regarded living breathing souls as objects, as numbers on a page. To the androids, people were toys, things to use, objects, not truly existing.

In a way the androids were fanatics, but they were fanatics only in their absolute narcissism. Only in the fact they wished to worship themselves. They were terrorists beyond terror; they dominated and ruled with utter anarchy. Death and fear were their wake. It made Gohan sick.

"Gohan, Trunks, dinner time!" Bulma yelled. Trunks jumped up and ran inside. Gohan followed, his pace sedate, his steps slow. When they reached inside Trunks inhaled his food. He was starving. Gohan wondered if he would ever feel hungry again. He ate slowly, mechanically. He ate until he could tell he was stuffed. He ate for one purpose and one purpose alone, to fuel his body. 

He needed to kill the Androids; everything else was secondary to that. He noticed Bulma looking at him and he forced a smile onto his face, following well creased lines of sorrow and making him look almost young again. Bulma sighed in relief internally, the last thing they needed was Gohan losing himself, he and Trunks were their only hopes.

Sadly, Gohan had already lost.

Gohan stared out at the night sky, just staring blankly. He sighed and his head sank forward only to be cradled in his hands. Those hands… Such power and yet all of it impotent, worthless. Vegeta was dead, his father was dead, his mother… Gohan trembled as he remembered those closest to him, his father, his mother, Piccolo, Vegeta, Krillin, everyone…

He was so alone… But Trunks and Bulma were there; indeed they were the only reason he hadn't gone off to suicide and kill the androids. His life held no worth for him, no meaning other than revenge.

They had struck again, another city left in ruins, only a few were still left, populated by people who still thought they could hold out against the monsters. They would die in time.

Gohan felt each death keenly, felt each soul that was painfully ripped from this once beautiful planet. His eyes shuddered with anguish as he looked up once again to the stars.

_Father, why father?_ Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder, Trunks… He looked up into the boy's eyes, full to the brim with uncompromising love. To Trunks he was a father, a brother and most of all a friend. 

The boy sat down next to him and leaned his head against Gohan's shoulder. Gohan smiled down at the boy, his apprentice, his friend, a son and a brother in so many ways… Anger suddenly swarmed through Gohan's body, damn those androids for making this hell for Trunks.

"Gohan?" A soft voice, a quiet voice. Young and still untouched by the greatest part of this tragic hell. Trunks still was innocent, despite the death and terror he was surrounded with. Gohan knew it wouldn't stay that way.

"Yes Trunks?" A pause, silence, so soft and yet more powerful than words could ever be.

"What was it like, before the androids?" Such a soft question, but full of so much pain. Gohan felt for his core, his ki that was his soul, that which sustained him, and found his memories.

"Kami Trunks, it was beautiful…" Gohan trailed off, his pain surfacing for a brief moment, dark despair wracking his thoughts. He sensed Trunks beside him stiffen.

"It's ok, we don't need to talk about it." The boy said hurriedly, his cerulean eyes shining with concern. Gohan was captivated by Trunks's eyes for a brief second, he was sure there wasn't a purer blue anywhere. 

"No, you should know, yes you should know…" Gohan trailed off and then began as far back as he knew.

"It all started one day when your mother, she was much younger, met my father…" And Gohan began, and told the long story of the dragon ball adventures, and then the tale of Radditz and Namek. By the time he ended Trunks's glacial eyes were wide.

"And then- father died of a heart disease, we don't know from where. Soon afterwards, the androids appeared. It was- horrible." Gohan whispered, and didn't tell Trunks of what Vegeta experienced, of what his friends and family had gone through. The boy knew enough pain, he didn't need more.

Suddenly Gohan's clarity returned to him, and he felt his pain ease out. The retelling of the story, it had let something in him free. He looked down as Trunks slowly slumped into Gohan's lap. The one-armed man gently cradled Trunks in his arm and stood up with him. It was bedtime for him.

Gohan gently laid Trunks out on his bed and marveled at the miracle of youth. His own body was young but his eyes spoke a different story, one full of more pain and age than anyone should ever know. He looked at Trunks and suddenly saw that the boy held more strength than he ever would. Yes he Gohan could hold more power than Trunks but in time Trunks would surpass him. He held the drive where Gohan held only despair in his heart.

But Trunks wouldn't wait; he could sense the restraint in the boy fraying. It would only be a matter of time before Trunks sought to confront the androids with him. And he knew that Trunks would die if that happened. They'd had far too many close calls already, it was time. Gohan had pushed the boy as far as he could without going SSJ. He needed a catalyst, and Gohan was so very tired…

He gently leaned down placed a kiss on Trunks's head, his friend, his student, his brother, his son… He stood up and then gently closed the door. Down the hall the light was on, Bulma was working- she stepped out into the hallway.

"Gohan, it's late, you should be in bed." She said softly, and Gohan looked at her with those eyes of his and she knew…

"No, please Gohan, there's another way- you know there is." Bulma implored but Gohan merely shook his head.

"No Bulma, I am so sorry but no. Continue with the time machine and support your son, he is easily strong enough to do whatever he must. Now please go to sleep." He said all this and then stiffened as Bulma threw herself into his chest and embraced him.

"Oh Gohan…" She choked on her tears and clutched him to her.

"Hush, it will all be better soon Bulma." He whispered to her. She sniffled and nodded and looked at him.

"If the time machine works like it's supposed to, I'll be seeing you again in a while." She said and Gohan looked at her. Took in her face, her smell, her hair and her eyes. His body was calm, his face gentle but his eyes were empty.

"Bulma, you have been a mother to me, I love you with all my heart, and I will see you again someday. Tell Trunks he meant the world to me, but don't tell him you knew." Bulma choked again and tried to smile.

"I- I can do that, but please Gohan…" She trailed off and Gohan shook his head.

"Neither of you can stop me, and to call Trunks out would make it very hard on him, you know that. It must be done Bulma." He said and suddenly she was sobbing and hitting him with her fists.

"Damn you Son Gohan why can't you live for us, it takes greater strength to live than to die, how dare you do this to us!" She cried and her tears cut a hole in Gohan's heart, and steeled his resolve.

"Bulma, it is time, I love both of you so much, now go to sleep." He said and suddenly Bulma was so very tired…

Gohan laid her gently into bed and covered her up. He ran gentle fingers down the side of her face and then stepped back.

"Good bye Bulma, maybe we will see each other again, someday." And Gohan stepped out of Capsule Corps, to go to his death, to make Trunks ascend, and to make him hold back until he was sure of victory.

And when death came, when that eerie black night descended on his eyes and the pain became a distant memory, Gohan was freed.

The end, of this story


End file.
